#sadly this summer the two on the top passed away within like 10 days of each other

[tolerateit]

these are my babies!! Harley (top left), Sammy (top right), Lucky (bottom left with his stuffed animal pal, Betty) and Bailey on the bottom right!

[madaboutsolo]

It’s A Match: Chapter 1

Pairing: Ben Solo x Reader

Words: 1,589

Chapter 1 - First Date

You had been talking to Ben for almost a week now and each day was somehow better than the day before. Shockingly, when you opened up with your go to pick up line I lost my teddy bear, can I cuddle with you? Ben took the opportunity to comment on how that was the best pick up line he had ever received instead of asking you to come over for some suggestive cuddling later that night. It made you giggle and blush - two things a boy hadn’t done to you in a long time. 

Somehow, in the week that the two of you had been talking, neither of you had run out of words to say to each other. You usually hated the whole getting to know you part, but with Ben it was different. He was engaging. He was interesting. He made you laugh. A message from Ben had become your favorite notification and though you reminded yourself constantly to calm the fuck down, you couldn’t help but feel yourself hoping that he was the one that wouldn’t make you want to go on a first date ever again.

It was Thursday night when you finally got the nerve to ask Ben to get a drink. After gushing to your best friend about this man that you met on Bumble, she forced you into making the first move. After downing the rest of your drink, you opened up the app and finally sent your message “So.. As great as it has been talking to you these past few days, what do you say we grab a drink tomorrow night and continue this conversation in person?”

His response was an instant “I say yes. How does after work happy hour sound? That way, if all goes well, we can still have time to grab a proper dinner too.”

Your smile reached your eyes, wiggling in your seat as you sent him your response “It sounds perfect.” 

- 

Friday seemed to pass insanely slow. Every time Ben glanced at the clock, a minute had passed when he was SURE that at least 45 minutes had passed. He huffed loudly, running his fingers through his hair as he turned his attention back to his computer screen.

Stay busy. Stay busy. Stay busy.

All he wanted to do was throw his shit into his bag and make his way to the bar you and Ben had chosen for your date, but sadly that was still another four hours away. Before he could get back into the groove of his task, his phone buzzed beside him and caught his attention instead. He picked up his phone, smiling at the notification of a message from you. He went straight to the app and grinned brightly at your message.

Is it just me or is this day going by SO SLOW?!

His fingers moved effortlessly across the screen, quickly sending you a message back “Definitely not just you. I’m seriously contemplating asking you to play hooky with me for the rest of the day and getting this date started early.” 

That sounds so tempting, but sadly I’m about to jump into a meeting.

Ben smiled at your response, letting out a chuckle at the fact that you even considered just leaving for the day. It was a nice thought and definitely an idea he would pocket for later, if tonight went the way he wanted it to.

-

At 4:30, you pushed your chair away from your desk after shutting down your computer. You stood up from your desk and took in a deep breath as you smoothed out the dress you were wearing. While everyone else in the office showed up in jeans for casual Friday, you showed up in your favorite red and white polka dot dress. It hugged your body in all the right places and made you feel like you were a supermodel. It stopped just above your knee, allowing for plenty of leg to still be shown but kept things modest for a day at work. You paired your dress with your favorite wedges, giving you just the perfect amount of lift. 

Before locking up your office for the weekend, you sent Ben a quick message notifying him of your departure from work. It would take you exactly 10 minutes to get to the bar, but you wanted at least another 10 minutes to sit in your car and prepare your body for what was about to happen. 

The entire drive there, you thought about all the possibilities that tonight could lead to and you settled with two different scenarios. The first one being the positive one. Things could go so well that you would see him again. He would actually have a better personality in person than over text. You would enjoy yourself. The second scenario was you leaving the bar never wanting to see him again and your mind giving into the idea that you were never going to meet your future husband. You silently prayed that tonight would lead to the first scenario. 

-

Ben walked into the bar and found a high top towards the back. He snaked through the crowd and claimed the table for the two of you. He slipped out of his blazer and hung it on the back of the chair before sitting down. He pulled out his phone and sent you a message, letting you know that he had arrived and had found a table.

You glanced down at your phone as it buzzed in your hand and smiled, your stomach knotting up as you picked up your pace “Almost there! See you soon!” You shoved your phone into your purse and continued to walk, only stopping when you reached the doors of the bar. You took a deep breath as you pulled the door open and made your way inside. Your eyes scanned the bar, stopping when you saw him exactly where he said he would be. 

The second your eyes met his, everything around you seemed to fade away. You don’t really know how you got to the table, your feet seemed to have a mind of their own. As you approached the table, you tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and your voice came out as a whisper as you stuck out your hand “Ben. Hi.”

You said his name and he was a puddle. He stood up from the chair, offering you a smile as big as yours “Y/N. Hi.” He glanced down at your hand and chuckled, his eyes meeting yours again “I think we’re a little past the hand shake. Don’t you think?” Ben didn’t give you enough time to answer before his arms pulled you into a hug. He squeezed you gently and pulled away after a moment “Glad you made it.”

-

The first few seconds were awkward. Naturally. He was there right in front of you and you were there right in front of him. It wasn’t long before you both fell into an easy conversation. He asked how the day went and you asked how his went. After your first drink, you both relaxed.

It was easy. It was as if you were childhood friends, meeting up for a drink like you always had. Before you knew it, one drink turned into two and two drinks turned into three. It wasn’t until your stomach grumbled loudly that you realized you hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. You placed your hand on your stomach and looked up at Ben, your cheeks turning a light shade of pink “Well that was loud.” 

Ben chuckled, his eyes searching for your waitress “Well I guess that’s a sign we should move this to dinner.” He turned his attention back to you, his eyebrow raising “Did I do well enough to be lucky enough to take you to dinner tonight too?”

A giggle escaped your lips, nodding as the waitress arrived at your table “You did great. Dinner sounds amazing.”

-

You let him pick the restaurant as you picked the bar. He chose a place within walking distance, giving you both a chance to enjoy the gorgeous summer evening. Dinner went as well as drinks went, conversation never having a break except for when you both were busy pushing food into your mouths. You hummed as you took your last bite, gently setting your fork down on your plate “This place was amazing.”

Ben smiled brightly, dabbing his mouth with his napkin “Thank you. I pride myself in knowing about good food and where to find it.” 

“I guess I’ll keep you around then. I like being around good food.” You sent him a wink and leaned back in your chair, your shoulders relaxing as you let out a breath “Thank you, for tonight. It’s been a really awesome evening.”

Ben smiled, pulling out his credit card from his wallet “I’ve enjoyed myself as well. Thank you for giving me a chance.”

After the check was paid, Ben led you out of the restaurant and you both began the walk back to your car. The walk was quiet, but the moment Ben slipped his hand into yours, you felt yourself melt. You gave his hand a squeeze and looked up at him as you came to a stop “Well.. This one’s mine.”

Ben smiled down at you and rubbed the back of your hand with his thumb “I had a great time tonight, Y/N.”

“I did too, Ben.”

“Will I get to see you again?”

“Definitely.”

[fuck-customers]

Big Bird Deli, Part 3

Continued from https://fuck-customers.tumblr.com/post/185625162330/continuation-of-the-big-bird-deli-story-found

Now, I know you all want me to say I got a new job and rubbed it in my store manager’s face. Sadly, reality is often disappointing. My top choices so far sent back general rejection emails and I’m looking into different industries to branch into. Now, it's not all bad news, but in order to get into the good news, I need to tell you all a story about one co-worker; our constant call off, whom I’ll refer to as CCO. Buckle up for a long story.

CCO was transferred to our store from the one about five minutes down the road a little under three years ago now. I was still in my first year when she transferred in. As I worked with her, she seemed like a good co-worker. Knowledgeable, dependable, she even taught a bunch of tricks to make the job easier. Then, some things started to bubble to the surface.

At first, the only bad thing about her is that she took a long time in the bathroom, 10-15 minutes, pretty much a break without clocking out for one. CCO’s explanation for this was biological, but she couldn’t identify her condition. Skeptical, but ok. Then, she’d also take a long time to get a drink (Non-alcoholic). Managers caught sipping a drink in the break room, and even the training room (Small room with computers for basic training/OSHA/Food Safety) and told her multiple times, she could only do that on breaks. She’d also do stuff that led to numerous signs in our back hall. She’d try store dry food there, take drinks back there, and she’d be on her cell phone on her shift way too much (Mostly showing her cats, making notes, not talking or playing games).

Then, she began to talk constantly. She’d talk with customers even after their orders were done. I constantly saw customers get that “I need to get going but I don’t see my chance to leave yet” expression, and she’d keep blabbering on for a few more minutes as the customer slowly tried to inch away. But it wasn’t just customers, CCO would do the same to co-workers. She’d blabber on while doing nothing or only very small tasks. Sometimes her conversations sucked you in, even though the topics were things from youth, church, or constant updates about her cats (she and husband got up to FIVE cats, and yes, introductions to them included pictures.) I had the highest tolerance for these stories, not sure why.

Now, I can handle those things above. But it got worse. So. Much. Worse. After our store got remodeled just before CCO came in, tasks were updated to include not only sweeping the department floor every night but also washing and squeegeeing the floor. CCO made excuses so she wouldn’t be the one doing it. She’d do anything she could to pass it off on that night’s co-worker. She made excuses that it hurt her back, but refused time and time again to get a doctor’s note to excuse her from the task. She also made excuses that it was tiring, but she stopped those excuses after only a couple weeks. This, coupled with many closers forgetting some tasks, provoked our Deli Manager to make daily task sheets starting this past summer, mostly focused on the closing staff. I, personally, am ok with the sheets, as I view it as a tool to acclimate new employees to the department tasks.

But here’s the big one. She ‘began’ to get migraines within six months of her transfer. She’d slow and become less useful during work, taking long treks to get water and basic medicine that seemed to do the trick at first. The kicker is that she began to call off once every two weeks. Now, you may think that’s not so bad and it’ll count against her. Wrong. She applied for FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) for her migraines. She could spend a TON of hours towards it, and she could reapply when she ran out. I started out sympathetic, as I have family members with migraines, but they have methods to curb it so they can work. CCO started calling off once a week. Twice a week. This year, it went up to three times a week. And it was almost always on the same co-worker, Nice Coworker (NC). NC became stressed, she didn’t even want to be scheduled with CCO because of it, but sometimes had no choice. I saw NC break down in tears multiple times. She threatened management to not call her if CCO called off on Sundays, cuz she wouldn’t come in at all. Our deli manager retaliated by trying to schedule CCO less. CCO retaliated by complaining about her hours and claiming hours of other co-workers due to seniority!!! She’d just take their shifts and call-off anyway! So not only was she causing hours to drop, she was basically stealing money from people who actually show up for work.

This all caused morale and productivity to plummet. We were stressed, aggravated even. All the while management still wanted everything perfect while not addressing the problem. And since we’re union, management has to give CCO chance after chance before she’s finally fired or CCO will just run and cry to the union about ‘unfair termination’. We also got wind from people in the store down the street (Sometimes people over here have to cover over there and vice versa) that this behavior happened down there, but not to the extent it got down here, and was the reason CCO transferred. We also learned that she’s had this behavior at all the past jobs she told anyone about. This woman is ten years older than me and hasn’t learned any lessons about her behavior.

Oh, but the cherry on top of this comes in the form of gaslighting and manipulation. CCO dared to call NC her friend while she was claiming NC’s hours and calling off on her! CCO would apologize and say that she “was a shitty person,” and that we “must hate her”. Insincere apologies, self-bashing designed to make you say “No, you’re not a piece of garbage!”(even though she was). CCO also spread rumors about a friend who’s like a brother to me (from another department) when he briefly got in deep trouble. She did this because she thought she could get his full-time position once he was fired (A position that took him being there 12 years and his manager begging multiple times on his behalf to get). Needless to say, I heard through the grapevine and began to truly hate her.

Oh, and remember those call-offs? CCO’d often do those on the weekend, y’know, the busy times. Especially Sundays. Since she was a “Good Christian™”, she’d want to go to church on Sundays. Ok. Reasonable. Then, she called off on Sunday evenings, a shift that’s hell to close alone. Again, on NC mostly. She’d do this repeatedly until our Deli Manager decided to not schedule her on Sunday, two weeks in a row. CCO smirked and told NC that “Her plan had worked!” and that she won’t work Sundays (She didn’t put them off on her availability because it was discouraged, and sometimes even rejected, to not work weekends). To say that, and say that to the person she called off on constantly, is just despicable. Many of us told our deli manager as soon as possible. If she didn’t schedule CCO on Sundays, she’d work on Sundays in any department she had experience in (she’s cross-trained in the Hot foods and meat departments).

At the start of this year. Everyone in the department hated her. Some would be catty or strictly business with her. I opted to pretend to not want to rip her face off, otherwise, I risked forwarding that bile to customers, and I have cried on CCO’s shoulder in the past due to previous work-related bullshit (not the story above). But, we finally had some news from the grapevine; CCO’s doctor AND corporate had picked up on her FMLA abuse. It was flagged as abuse because during times her FMLA expired and needed to be redone her migraines had ‘mysteriously’ disappeared. No call-offs until after FMLA was reinstated. Her doctor told her that he wouldn’t approve more and even if he did, it wouldn’t be approved by the company. By our calculations, she’d run out at the end of May. She ran out mid-May. All we had to do was wait.

And this past week, the good news! Turns out CCO didn’t help NC much the Saturday of my paid vacation. NC went to Store Manager on Wednesday, on her day off, to report CCO. Store Manager told NC that CCO, and potentially all of the deli, was going to get pulled into the office soon one by one. Details couldn’t be said due to confidentiality but NC said that shit was about to go down, we all just didn’t know what. On Friday, now mid-June, our Union Steward (A worker to represents the union while not working for the union directly) came and got CCO and pulled her into the office with Store Manager. Ten minutes later, CCO was escorted out of the store by Loss Prevention. The scales finally tipped when the customer complaints stacked up, and that she got into a verbal argument with a co-worker (Not me or NC) with a manager as a witness. Said co-worker was at the store on her day off, shopping and chatting with us briefly. While CCO passed by, CCO called her a bitch, in earshot of Loss Prevention. But that was the last we’ve seen of CCO.

Slight dancing was had, and upper management reminded us that this is an opportunity to turn the deli around. We got a new person who started during my vacation. She’s absolutely amazing and gets along with everyone. It’s only been a few days, but already other departments are commenting that the deli seems happier and that a great weight has been lifted. I always joked about giving CCO this big speech in a dark, even tone and saying she needs to go on disability or welfare if her work ethic or migraines are that bad. But, I decided against doing a big Facebook drama thing. Instead, I blocked her on social media and her phone number. I’m glad to finally cut her out of my life permanently.

As for me? I’m still at Big Bird. Now that the main problem is gone, I can take my time finding a good job and not go for the first one that gives me an interview. I still want to leave because of upper management, and I haven’t received confirmation that my write up was overturned. Things are looking up, and I’m glad we now have a solid, competent team as we get ready for the 4th of July sales.

Last word: I was going to post this as is, but today, I heard something amazing. A co-worker had to work a split shift, beginning down the road then coming up to our store. Turns out, CCO didn’t tell her husband that she got fired! She told him she was on vacation! And he works down the street! I busted up laughing, imagining scenarios when he finds out she lied. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall for that confrontation. :3

TL;DR

Not much has happened other than a co-worker getting fired and absolutely deserving it after putting the deli under so much stress.

[queen-rogah]

Chasing Dreams - Part 1

Summary:  In the year of 1971, you dreamed to be the best musician/performer that you’ll ever be. And upon achieving your dream, you have met the four musicians that would surprisingly help you to chase your dreams. The story of you and the rising band is deeply life-changing, and even finding love would get in the way, but all you have to do in chasing those dreams is to always face the consequences…

Warnings: fluff, language

Word Count: 2.8k+ words

Note: Finally, the first part of the Queen series! I will be opening a taglist for this series so let me know! Aaaand this is just a small fic series, maybe in over 10 to 15 parts I guess? Who knows…

♡♡♡ PART ONE: “PROLOGUE” ♡♡♡

The band before them were hyping up the audience. People holding a cup of their beers and feeling the vibe of their music. He can hear the faint noises of Lola’s western accent, with an electric guitar playing in the background. The pub was jam packed, especially right now on Fridays where teenagers will sneak out of their houses, never telling their parents they will go out and do stuffs that aren’t supposed to be done in their age and regular adults just want to have a good time. The van they are using are parked at the back of the pub while they are standing here, the four of them, the lead singer is breathing in and out since this is his first gig as the new frontman, the blond drummer smoking his cigarette, finished it within minutes as he flicked it off his fingers, stomping it with his old converse shoes, then his eyes trained over to the bassist–the youngest one–also the new one of the group, he’s leaning his back on the wall and also a bit nervous like the singer.

The door opened to see Dixon, the one who is running this pub, and also a great man, “You boys are up in five. Instruments are already onstage, only give the people what they want…”

“On it Dix.” Brian smiles at Dixon before he got inside again.

The guitarist pushed himself off the van, where he’s leaning his back on and faced the new group. The two fresh faces of Smile, hoping to be successful. “You guys ready?.”

“Ready.” Freddie nods his head and the band got inside the pub, getting their nervousness off in the backstage. Just in time Lola’s band came inside, her bleached hair was up in a ponytail as she stares at the band before her.

“Look who it is, the band that is striving to get to the top.” Lola snickers as her group chuckles at her remark, she soon stood close to Brian, chin up. “Listen up May, we’ll still be the crowds favorite band nowadays, and now Tim left the band as you’re still trying hard to get your band together. Isn’t it the perfect time to give up already?.”

He swear he hate this 20 year old singer who’s too full of herself. Too bad he doesn’t hit a child like her.

“Listen up here too Lola, we may be striving but you don’t know what’s ahead of us. Don’t be too confident to yourself. You don’t know us, you don’t know Smile. Now step back.” Brian backfires, gripping on his guitar before getting onstage with Roger and John then Freddie came on struting his way at the front, where the people started to stare at him. Surprised at him being in Smile.

“We got a few fresh faces in here,” Brian spoke through the microphone as he picks up his guitar, “That’s John Deacon and this is Freddie…Bulsara.”

“Hello you beautiful people.” Freddie spoke through the microphone. Even bending down on it since it’s too short for him.

The people are quiet. Still astonished.

“Where’s Tim? Who’s the pakkie?.” Someone yelled from the crowd, several people also agreeing on him. Freddie have a straight smile on his face, Brian came to look at Roger who’s fuming while getting ready with his drumsticks and then his eyes dropped on Lola, who’s laughing under her breath, feeling the enthusiasm on what’s happening on them.

Then Brian catches Freddie as he looks back to him, “Let’s do it.” He mumbles to the guitarist as his riff started.

Then Roger’s part, then John’s…

And Freddie starts to sing, picking up the tambourine laying by the drums. He gripped the microphone, to pull it up to match his height, but he can’t. Brian felt worried to Freddie, hearing Lola’s snickering at the back again in watching the singer struggling in the microphone, and when Freddie pulls it up, he broke it. Only getting half of it, but he found a way to make it better as he started to play the tambourine, playing around with the beat. While he’s singing and feeling the presence of it, Brian notices that Freddie was singing the wrong lyrics, that’s why he’s shaking his head. Freddie came to him, grooving his body on the heavy vibe of the song. Brian kept saying to him that’s he’s singing the wrong lyrics, but that doesn’t stop Freddie.

But when Brian looks over to the crowd to see they are actually feeling the music, of how Freddie delivered it. Some people are staring at Freddie in awe, while he shakes the tambourine in his hand. He look back to Roger as the drummer shot him a smile while playing the drums.

This is the start of the new Smile.

…

The gig ended with the band enjoying themselves in the pub. Freddie ordered several pints of lager as he forces the boys to celebrate and be drunk throughout the night. He have his arms around his girlfriend, Victoria, who he met down in their stall in Kensington Market. Roger didn’t have any girl today, but he have his eyes on this brunette wandering around the pub. Brian and John are just sipping down on their drinks, and order another glass, then another and then another.

“You know what Bri,” Roger spoke while stealing a cigarette from Freddie, “I still didn’t see you look at some girl all my life.”

“I guess I have a certain type Rog,” Brian replied, finishing off his drink as he sets down on the table.

“A certain type of a girl is bullshit Brian, there are a lot of beautiful women around town. You need to be laid.” Freddie chuckles, Victoria also giggled in his arms.

“Fuck off Fred,” Brian shrugs as he laughs, drinking on John’s drink that he didn’t finished. He noticed Roger is now actually speaking to this girl by the bar, but she looked uninterested with Roger leaning over her as they talked. Then her eyes suddenly dropped on their table, but her eyes are on Brian, who noticed her stare first. He watch her turn her look to Roger again before she whispered something in his ear.

Roger turn his heel around from her as he walk back to the table, his eyes burning right through Brian. “She’s expecting you Brian.” Roger huffed as he sat down his chair.

Brian’s eyes slowly widened, “What? Me?.” He made sure.

“No, she’s expecting Deaky,” Roger sarcastically said, “Yes you Brian, she wants you.”

Roger have been rejected by this girl, just to talk to Brian instead. Which made Freddie smirk at him, telling him to go to the girl. Brian fixed himself before leaving the table, patting Roger’s tensed shoulders as he smokes. He walk up to the girl, who is facing the other way as he stood beside her. When he felt her turn around, Brian’s heart was racing.

“Wow, you’re here. I thought you got no interest in me.” She speak. Brian looked down her then put up a small smile.

“I just don’t want to abandon a girl who’s been expecting me,” Brian chuckles, “And you just rejected my friend, who is the ladies man. First time to be rejected though.”

“Oh really?.” She blinked her eyes.

“Yeah.” Brian replies. He feels comfortable with her now, and how he stare down on her is creating this unique tension between them.

“Your friend isn’t my type and when I saw you back there, I know you’re different from anyone else in this room.” She said as she drank on her drink. No woman didn’t say that to Brian, that’s why he’s definitely blushing as he looks away, trying to her avoid him looking flushed.

“What’s your name by the way?.” Brian asked.

“Rosalie…” She replied with that beautiful toothy grin as they shake hands together. In the back of Brian’s head, he thinks that this girl, who is holding his hands is the one for him.

“And yours?.” She still didn’t pull her hand away, their hands stopped shaking as they are just holding each other.

“Brian.” He smiles.

…

The school bell rings as you left your room with your bag and then your guitar case. Your dark suede platforms are clicking on the marbled floor of this university, going straight out of this building as you see the sun began to set. You’re beyond happy that this is gonna be the last year in college, so you’re doing your actual best in earning the diploma, having the degree you wanted and making your parents proud. You took a tight grip on your guitar case as you started walking back to your house, be greeted by some class friends outside with their group of friends. You abruptly stopped in your tracks to suddenly see him, leaning on his black Chevrolet, he’s wearing that dark leather jacket that matches his hazelnut eyes that you loved to look at whenever he’s passing through you in the hallways of the campus. But you see the girl that he’s been seeing this week walking towards him as he gave her a hungry kiss, the kiss that you wanted all your life.

You sadly look away, continuing in walking forwards again as you stopped again to hear him call your name, “Hey! Y/N!.” He calls.

Your grip in your guitar case tightens as you turn your heel around, seeing him jogging up to you, “William, w-what’s up?.” You stammer, hands scratching the back of your neck.

You kept making contact with his girlfriend waiting up by his car. This is making you a bit anxious. Maybe she’ll hate you for this.

“There’s actually a party that I’ll throw in my house tonight since it’s gonna be two weeks before graduation, so I’m here inviting you and also thanking you in helping me for my project last week.” He smiles. Damn that smile can make you melt like a popsicle on a summer day.

“Tonight? I…uh, I’ll try okay? I’ve been too busy at nights with my father, so yeah…I’ll still try William.” You stutter in your words. Your cheeks are turning a bit of that red shade as he chuckles.

“Okay, see you then Y/N,” He replies as he puts his hands inside the pocket of his leather jacket, “And hey…”

“Yeah?.” You answered.

“You still look cute when you blush Y/L/N…” He gave you that wink as he walks away, putting his arms on the girl’s shoulder as they both got inside his car. You have a smile plastered on your face while you’re walking home, when you’re already in your neighborhood, you race towards your house, entering by the back door as you lean you back on it, squealing in happiness that William called you cute and personally invited you to his party tonight.

“Y/N? Is that you?.” You heard your father’s voice from the hallway as he sees you here, drowning in your obsession to your college crush and your cheeks still heating up.

“Dad, please…can I go to this party? Just this once and I promise I’ll make it up to you in your pub since I didn’t sing today.” You said all of that in one breath as your father just gawk at you.

“No.” He retorts. Facing his back to you.

You groaned, pushing yourself off this door that you’ve been leaning your back to as you face him again, “Dad, please, just this once!.”

“Maybe that party will be filled with alcohols and drugs Y/N, I may be running a pub business here but I don’t want you be intoxicated with someone in that party. Especially when you’re with a group of men.” He strictly said, making you huff.

“Uh…” You paused, thinking of an excuse to let you go to that party, “Jonathan will be coming with me and he’ll be there by my side. You trust Jonathan right?.” You lied, giving him a pleading look.

“Yes, I trust Jonathan but I’m still not going to let you go in that party. You must sing in the pub tonight, end of discussion.” He said and sat on his chair. Your shoulder slumps down and glare at him.

“Then why are you letting Rosalie go by herself in Kensington to go to some pubs there while you don’t do the same to me? That’s just unfair!.” You complained.

“Your sister is older than you and that’s that–” He argues.

“–we’re just three years apart and I’m not a child anymore Dad! I need to be…free too!.” You bicker.

He was about to speak but you suddenly heard a knock on the front door as you immediately stood up from your seat, stomping your way towards the door to let out your frustrations as you open the door, seeing Jonathan smiling before you.

“Jonathan, you’re finally here…” You smiled as you stepped outside the house, closing the door afterwards. “I’m actually here to ask you a favor…”

Your best friend furrowed his brows, “What’s this favor again Y/N?.” He asked.

“Look, earlier while I was walking home from uni, William Porter aka my crush since high school–”

“–You still didn’t moved on about William huh–”

“–and he suddenly invited me to his party tonight and called me cute for blushing…” You giggled.

“And…? What’s your favor now?.” He asked, feeling uninterested on you talking about your school crush. You stood closer to him as he eyed you, raising his left brow.

“I kinda said that you’re coming with me in the party to Dad so that he’ll let me go, since he trust in you.” You whisper to him, watching his eyes widened.

“You what?! You can’t just lie to your father! And involve me to it, he will kill me Y/N…” He whisper-yell at you, giving you that strict look whenever you’re doing something that would ruin things.

“No, not you too! You’re supposed to be my best friend Jonathan! My partner in crime!.” You whined. He held your hand as he is suddenly going towards your house.

“I’m your friend that is taking care of you Y/N, and I will tell your father that you lied to him.” He said, opening the front door. You try pulling your hand from him, escaping from his grip but it won’t budge. When he pulls the door open, there you see your father looking at both of you.

“Jonathan, you’re finally here.” He said.

“Mr. Y/L/N, I’m here to say that Y/N–”

You finally escaped his grip as you’re now standing beside him, cutting off his sentence, “–That I’m really excited that he’s coming with me in the party that I’m talking about! And he will help me choose my outfit!.”

Your father sighs, “Fine. Jonathan, look after her throughout the night okay? Don’t let her drink that much and if you’ll see drugs in that party, leave immediately.” He said.

Your heart skipped a beat as you jump in happiness, hugging your father then look over to Jonathan, who’s rolling his eyes at you. Holding his hand as you let him in your room. Opening up your closet to bring out the flares and the blouses you’ve been hiding for a special occasion.

“Why is this party so important to you?.” Jonathan asks, sitting on the edge of your bed as he lays down, staring at the ceiling.

“Because it’s William’s party duh.” You replied, holding up two blouses at him. “Which one do you prefer, this autumn colored blouse or the peacock print?.”

Jonathan pointed at the autumn colored as you start to take your shirt off, but you heard him shout behind you, “Hey! You shouldn’t do that while I’m here missy, good god.” He said.

“You just seen me without clothes dumbo.” You teased.

“Yeah! When we were eight Y/N!,” He retorts, opening your door then looks back at you. “I’ll pick you up later for us to go to that party. Okay?.”

You smiled at him as you nod in reply, “Okay Jon, see you tonight.” You said.

“See you Y/N.” He said before leaving your room, closing the door gently behind him.

__________

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Kitchen Nightmares Open or Closed@|what happened to restaurants on kitchen nightmares@|https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XINLED44Ohg/VtCagkWZ07I/AAAAAAAAECY/nm-qs4BwAHc/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/kitchen-nightmares.jpg@|25

Are your favourite Kitchen Nightmares restaurants open or closed?

In Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay visits restaurants, identifying the key issues, resolving them and giving the restaurant a renovation all within 3 days.

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Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares / Kitchen Nightmares UK aired from 2004 to 2014, with 7 seasons and 36 episodes.

Kitchen Nightmares USA aired from 2007 until 2014, with 7 seasons and 90 episodes, including revisited episodes, see below for a full Kitchen Nightmares episode list.

People often want to know Kitchen nightmares where are they now? On each post you will find Kitchen Nightmares episode recaps, updates and information on each restaurant that Chef Gordon Ramsay has attempted to save.

You will find out which Kitchen Nightmares are open or closed.

A map featuring all of the Kitchen Nightmares restaurant locations is here

Kitchen Nightmares Closure and Success Rates as of May 2020

Please credit us should you use these

The Kitchen Nightmares Closure Rate stands at 79% The Kitchen Nightmares Success Rate stands at 21%

There are 22 Kitchen Nightmares restaurants still open and 83 Kitchen Nightmares restaurants that have closed.

Click on the link for each restaurant to read more about why the Kitchen nightmares closed. We are currently reworking this post, please bear with us!

Jump to Kitchen Nightmares Season 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares UK

Costa Del Nightmares

4 restaurants Aired: September – October 2014 Closure Rate: 75%

Mayfair / Jacks Chicken Shack is closed. They closed after failing to reopen for the 2019 season. Owner John has reverted to his own menu and recipes shortly after Gordon visited.

Le Deck is closed. They closed after failing to open for the 2017 summer season. After filming business was up and Steve had returned to their other restaurant in the mountains.

La Granada Divino is closed. They closed in September 2015, two years after filming, as owners Milan and Gina retired from the restaurant trade.

Quelcuttis Tapas is closed. They closed in 2015, 14 months after Gordon visited with his changes blamed for the closure.

Kitchen Nightmares Season 7

6 restaurants Aired: April 2014 – September 2014 Closure Rate: 67%

Pantaleone’s is open. Business improved 70% after the episode aired and they added a delivery service in 2017. Reviews are positive

Old Neighborhood Restaurant is closed. They closed as of May 1st 2016 after selling the restaurant business, the building was sold in June 2014.

Kati Allo is closed. They closed in April 2014, days after the episode aired. The closure was temporary for renovations but they never reopened.

Mangia Mangia is closed. They closed in November 2014 and Trevor went to rehab, got clean and planned to go to culinary school.

Zayna Flaming Grill is open. The restaurant was sold to a new owner in September 2015 and reviews are mostly positive.

Bella Luna is closed. They closed 3 and a half months after filming in November 2013 and blamed a dispute with the landlord. Back to the top

Kitchen Nightmares Season 6

13 restaurants Aired: October 2012 – May 2013 Closure Rate: 69%

La Galleria 33 is closed. They closed suddenly in November 2018 with no announcement of the closure.

Barefoot Bobs is closed. They closed suddenly in December 2016 with no announcement of the closure. Prior to the closure they reverted to their old menu and brought back the tiki decor.

Mama Maria’s is open. John returned some customer favourites to the menu and tweaked recipes. Reviews are mostly positive with compliments to John, the atmosphere and service.

Ms Jean’s Southern Cuisine is open. They moved to a new location and reviews are positive. Reviews have improved significantly since 2017.

Olde Hitching Post is open. Reviews are mostly positive with seafood being popular. They stopped doing breakfast in 2019 to the disappointment of many.

Levanti’s American Bistro is closed. They closed in November 2013 after Tony decided to retire nine months after the episode was aired.

Sam’s Mediterranean kabob Room is closed. They closed in January 2014 as appearing on the show didn’t increase customers numbers and more competition had opened in the area.

Nino’s Italian Restaurant is closed. They closed in August 2016 due to retirement. Carina said that the remodel was done using cheap furniture that were not fit for purpose.

Mill Street Bistro is closed. Joe renamed the restaurant to Maple City Tavern and they closed in February 2016. Joe sued Gordon after the episode for missing items and damage to the restaurant.

Yanni’s Greek Restaurant is open. They returned some of their old dishes to the menu and reviews are mostly positive with the moussaka being a hit with customers.

Prohibition Grille is closed. They closed in July 2017. Chef Rocky opened his own restaurant that had excellent reviews prior to its closure.

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Chappy’s is closed. Chappy blames the closure on Gordon and has opened and closed a number of restaurants since appearing on the show.

Amy’s Baking Company is closed. Amy closed the restaurant in September due to landlord troubles and after much online drama to open an online cookery school. Amy and Samy now live in Israel. Back to the top

Kitchen Nightmares Season 5

15 restaurants Aired: September 2011 – March 2012 Closure Rate: 64%

Blackberry’s is closed. They closed in March 2013 as Shelly no longer saw room for growth, were maintaining and not getting the clientele they wanted.

Leone’s is open. Gordon revisited, the chefs had been fired and Michael wasn’t at the restaurant, he stepped up and reviews are mostly positive. Rose sadly passed away in April 2014.

Mike and Nellie’s is closed. They closed in January 21st 2012 and Mike now owns his own catering company.

Luigi’s D’ Italia is open. The restaurant moved location in December 2017 and opened a catering service. Reviews are positive with praise for the lasagna and pizza.

Burger Kitchen is closed. The restaurant was sold to new owners in August 2011, was rebranded and closed in February 2012.

The Greek at the Harbor is open. Some customers didn’t like the changes but reviews are generally positive with praise for the entertainment and food.

Michon’s is closed. They closed in August 2013 and two other locations closed – Downtown burnt down in a fire in March 2012 and Peach Tree Centre closed in early 2018. Reviews at the original location were negative after filming.

El Greco is closed. They closed in December 2011 as their debts were too large. Many staff had left due to conflict and reviews after filming were negative with complaints on food and service.

Park’s Edge is closed. They closed in early 2014 after their lease ran out and they did not open in a new location. They returned some items to the menu due to customer requests.

Spin A Yarn Steakhouse is open. They returned some dishes to the menu as requested by regulars and reviews are positive with the prime rib remaining a big hit with diners.

Charlie’s Italian Bistro is closed. They closed in July 2012 and Genevieve sadly passed away from complications due to epilepsy.

Cafe Hon is open. The locals appear to have forgiven Denise for the Hon trademark issue and reviews are positive with the meatloaf being popular among diners.

Chiarella’s Ristorante is closed. They closed on the 30th June 2015 after their lease expired and they could not afford an increase in rent.

Zocalo is closed. They closed January 2013 after failing to open after Christmas due to spiralling debts including for taxes. Greg and Mary divorced and he remarried waitress Maria. Back to the top

Kitchen Nightmares Season 4

12 restaurants Aired: January 2011 to May 2011 Closure Rate: 83%

Spanish Pavillion is open. Michael has stepped away from the business and business is up since filming. Reviews are positive with praise for the paella and sangria.

Classic American is closed. The restaurant closed in August 2013 and they continued offering catering services.

PJ’s Steakhouse is closed. They closed a few weeks after filming in May 2010 as the takings were low and the debts were high and returned to the construction trade.

Grasshopper Also is closed. They closed in October 2012, was sold and reopened with new management, new staff and a new makeover. The restaurant has changed hands many times since.

Davide is closed. They closed in May 2014 after being sold in January 2014, as the owners wanted to start a farming venture and food tours of Boston North End.

Downcity is closed.They closed on 10th December 2011, after struggling in the decline of the local economy. Aby is now a personal trainer.

Cafe Tavolini is closed. They closed in December 2010, just weeks after filming with an answerphone recording saying that they were closing for medical reasons.

Kingston Cafe is closed. They closed as a restaurant in August 2018, however the space is still used for events and catering functions.

La Frite is closed. The restaurant was sold to a new owner in July 2016 and closed in September 2017 when the owner changed the restaurant to an Italian eatery called Modo Mio.

The Capri Restaurant featured in Kitchen Nightmares season 4 episode 10 and is closed. They closed in September 2019 due to the twins health issues and declining sales at the restaurant.

Zeke’s is closed. They closed in October 2012 after taping a notice to the door and the restaurant was sold to new owners. Daryll and Ellen now own LUCA Eats in New Orleans.

Oceana Grill is open. The restaurant was sold to new owners, who have sued the production company over clips showing the poor state of the kitchen as this does not represent the higher standards under their ownership. Back to the top

Kitchen Nightmares Season 3

12 restaurants Aired: January 2010 – May 2010 Closure Rate:75%

Hot Potato Cafe is closed. They closed in August 2010 as their lease was due to expire and a closed sign was put up on the door. Danielle went to college and trained to be a nurse.

Flamangos/The Junction is closed. They closed in April 2011 as Bill and Adele decided to re-retire to Florida. Cheryl moved out of her parents house in 2016.

Bazzini is closed. Bazzini closed in June 2010 and Paul now works as a chef with his son. In a revisit we see Sharyn who had began working full time baking her cakes.

Mojito is closed. Mojito closed in March 2016 and Katalina went travelling, documenting her food journey on Instagram.

Lido di Manhattan is open. They host regular wine tasting and music events that are a huge hit and reviews are mostly positive with a few criticisms on service.

Le Bistro is open. They expanded into providing produce to a local market. Reviews are positive with the beef wellington and mushroom soup receiving rave reviews.

Casa Roma is closed. They reverted to their old menu and briefly rebranded as The AV Roadhouse Restaurant Bar & Grill before reverting back.They closed in July 2017.

Mama Rita’s is closed. They closed in December 2010 after abandoning Gordon’s menu but the catering business continued for a number of years.

Anna Vincenzo’s is closed.They closed in April 2010 and Cece sold the restaurant so that she could spend more time with her children. Cece and Michael had seperated.

Fleming is closed. They closed in October 2010, 5 months after airing after trying a number of different menus and event nights.

Sushi Ko is closed. They closed in August 2009. Lisa believes it was too little too late and Samy blames the show and the local economy. Back to the top

Kitchen Nightmares Season 2

11 restaurants Aired: September 2008 to January 2009 Closure Rate: 100%

Handlebar is closed. They closed in 2009 shortly after Gordon revisited and the restaurant was sold. Bill sadly passed away after a cancer battle in November 2015.

Giuseppi’s is closed. They closed in July 2009, blaming the economy and the lack of a liquor license for the closure.

Trobiano’s is closed. They closed in October 2008 after the restaurant was seized by the state for not paying their taxes.

Black Pearl is closed. They closed just 4 days after the episode aired with owner David posting one a passive aggressive rant online at Gordon.

J Willy’s is closed. They closed in February 2009 after choosing to close rather than cut quality due to increasing food costs.

Hannah & Mason’s is closed. They They closed in February 2010 with Chris blaming Gordon’s menu and falling customer numbers for both the bistro and catering services.

Jack’s Waterfront is closed. They closed in December 2010, presumably due to their debts as reviews were much more positive after the episode was filmed.

Sabatiello’s is closed. They closed in October 2008 and Samy told the media that he regretted appearing on the show. He opened another pizzeria that closed due to unpaid rent.

Fiesta Sunrise is closed. They closed in September 2008 after the restaurant was seized due to failing to pay taxes. They had closed the previous year due to failing to pay taxes but paid in full and reopened.

Santé La Brea is closed. They closed in June 2011 after selling the restaurant. Dean retired in 2009 and was living overseas and the restaurant was run by his sons prior to closure.

Cafe 36 is closed. They closed on 18 April 2009 with the owners blaming the economy and Gordon’s changes to the restaurant for the closure. Back to the top

Kitchen Nightmares Season 1

10 restaurants Aired: September 2007 – December 2007 Closure Rate: 90%

Peters is closed. They closed in December 2008 and their father passed away in 2009.

Dillons/Purnima is closed. They closed in 2009 and Martin tried to sue Gordon for $3million and to stop the show being aired but it was thrown out of court.

The Mixing Bowl is closed. They closed in January 2009. The restaurant had closed briefly before the filming of the show but reopened for filming.

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Seascape is closed. They closed in August 2017 just five months after the episode was filmed and after reverting back to their old menu.

The Olde Stone Mill is open. The restaurant was sold to new owners in 2009 and Dean opened an Italian restaurant that closed in 2015. Dean has had minor acting roles and hosted a hunting show.

Sebastians is closed. They closed in January 2008 after the family moved back to Boston. Sebastian had a small part in a movie and runs landscaping and financial companies.

Finn McCool’s is closed. They sold the restaurant in 2009 with the family continuing to work there. They closed in March 2012 after an issue with the lease.

Lelas is closed. They closed shortly after filming as Lela’s debts were too high to recover.

Campania is closed. The restaurant was sold in September 2010 and eight days later Joe sadly took his own life. They closed in January 2011.

The Secret Garden is closed. They closed in March 2010 after selling the restaurant, this sale fell through but he found another buyer. He had abandoned Gordon’s changes quickly after filming. Back to the top

Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares/ Kitchen Nightmares UK

Aired: April 2004 – January 2009 24 restaurants Closure Rate: 83%

Note: I have reordered the episodes as Channel 4 have now clarified the official seasons.

The Dovecote Bistro/Martins is closed. They closed in October 2015 as the business was sold to new owners, they had abandoned the upstairs bistro and focused on the cafe side of the business.

Runaway Girl/Silversmiths is open. Justin sold the restaurant to new owners in April 2017 after winning numerous awards and it has changed hands multiple times since and has closed without warning.

Ruby Tates/Loves Fish is closed. They closed in January 2009, due to the drop in the local economy leading to a lack of bookings

The Priory is closed. They closed in 2008 after Scott reverted the restaurant back to serving carvery dinners and abandoning Gordon’s idea of a grill house.

The Curry Lounge is closed. Raz sold the restaurant in 2015 and it closed in 2018. In 2017 Raz admitted to £65,000 of tax fraud in relation to the restaurant.

Piccolo Teatro is closed. They closed in April 2007 before Gordon revisited and Rachel became a hooker. India has had a very successful kitchen career after work experience with Gordon.

The Granary is closed. They closed in January 2008 after an arson attack gutted the restaurant. The arsonist was jailed in September 2018 after spending 10 years on the run.

The Fish and Anchor is closed. They closed in 2008, the business listed for sale at £295,000 and was sold in 2009. After the closure Mike planned to move to Italy.

La Parra de Burriana is closed. They closed in August 2008 with Lawrence closing the restaurant suddenly and Lawrence has since changed his name.

The Fenwick Arms is open. The pub was sold in 2009 and has changed hands twice since. Brian and Elaine are now at The Ship Inn in Aldborough.

Rococo/Maggies is closed. They closed in September 2007 and they filed for bankruptcy.

Morgans is closed. They closed as the business was sold in November 2007. Sandy returned to her antiques shop, Laura was an actress with some bit parts and Phil was jailed for theft for stealing cheques.

La Lanterna is closed. Despite an increase in business, they closed in 2006 and the building was put up for sale.

D-Place is closed. They closed weeks after filming in 2004. It went into receivership and the lease was put up for sale before Gordon was able to revisit.

Momma Cherri’s is closed. Shortly after filming they moved into a much larger restaurant called Momma Cherri’s Big House restaurant. They closed in 2009 due to large debts.

La Riviera is open. The restaurant was renamed to Contrast and has positive reviews. Loic returned to France and opened L’atelier du peintre, which gained a Michelin star in 2011.

The Sandgate Hotel is open. The business was sold by Lois and Peter in 2006 and has changed hands at least twice since.

Clubway 41/Jacksons featured in Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares season 2 episode 7 and is closed. They closed in September 2006, shortly after Gordon revisited and they seemed to have given up.

La Gondola is closed. The restaurant closed in 2007 and the hotel remained open for a few more years. The abandoned building was targeted by squatters and vandals and Daniella sadly passed away in July 2019.

Oscars is closed. They closed in October 2005 as Maura sold the restaurant and Lenin went into rehab.

Bonapartes is closed. They closed in 2005 and was sold for £450,000. Sue was left homeless and in debt and both Sue and Tim were disqualified from driving for drink driving.

The Glass House is closed. They closed in March 2014 and reopened as The Fulling Mill. The restaurant is still owned by Neil Farrell.

The Walnut Tree Inn is open. They closed in February 2007 and reopened in December under a new owner. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2010 and every year since.

Moore Place is closed. They closed in 2006 when the owners sold the restaurant after starting to go back to their old ways. Back to the top

More Kitchen Nightmares posts

The Best Kitchen Nightmares Episodes

Has Gordon Ramsay Ever Liked The Food on Kitchen Nightmares?

The Worst Kitchens on Kitchen Nightmares

Similar Shows to Kitchen Nightmares

24 Hours to Hell and Back

Restaurant Impossible

Bar Rescue

Hotel Hell

Hotel Impossible [external_footer]

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Saturday 16th January 2021

History - The Tower of London’s Famous Ravens

Something in the news this week has taken me back to the Summer of 2019 when we visited the Tower of London a couple of times. Our route took us from the South Bank, on foot, across the famous bridge. The first time we went it was pleasant enough for walking around and we avoided rain, but it was quite a dull, overcast day. The second time we went it was one of the, if not the hottest day of the year in a very hot July. Visitors were all searching for some shade and the Yeoman Warders were really suffering in their heavy woollen uniforms and hats. They were allowed to carry water but no concession was given to what they have to wear. I felt so sorry for them.

Tower Bridge up above and the Tower of London as seen from the Bridge. This impressive Royal Palace property is today dominated by modern London.

The Tower of London with its crowds of visitors and the landmark ‘Walkie Talkie’ building in the background (below)

View of Tower Bridge from inside The Tower of London

I read this week that one of the famed Ravens left the Tower several weeks ago and has not returned as yet. ‘Merlina’ who is 14 years old, arrived as a chick in 2007.

It wasn’t only me who picked up on the story

I’m not so sure I wholly believe them though 😄

Merlina is described as a free spirit and has left the Tower before but always returned as she had a very strong bond with the Ravenmaster and his Team. She’s been described as the real Queen of the Tower, the Raven ruler of the roost.

In the wild Ravens usually live for 10-15 years, but the Tower's birds have been known to survive until the age of 40. A statement said that as she hasn’t returned, it’s feared that Merlina has passed away.

Above photo credit Spitalfields Life, the link is an article and you can see Merlin(a) there too. By the way, here the Warder’s wearing the daily routine, dark blue ‘undress’ uniform that warders wear.

In his 2018 book the current Ravenmaster, Christopher Skaife, described Merlina's character.

He wrote: 'She likes playing with sticks while rolling on her back and doing forward-rolls. She is also adept at mimicking strange sounds to get what she wants.

'Much to the confusion of the local crows, Merlina is an expert at imitating their call to get them down from the trees to play with her. She also has a knack for impersonating gulls, but as far as I can tell, that’s just to annoy them.

'Merlina is a bit of a loner. I think of her as the Tower Princess because she refuses to socialise with any other raven, or sleep with the others in the fox-proof enclosure I had built for them when I became Ravenmaster in 2011.'

And revealing one of her naughtier habits, he added: 'Merlina has a knack for spotting — from the other side of Tower Green — members of the public eating Pringles.

'Stealing the tube and popping off the lid to cram as many into her mouth as possible, she will even take them to the nearest water bowl and give them a wash if she doesn’t like the taste.

It seems unlikely now that she’s going to return and she’s going to be really sadly missed.

The Legend of the Tower of London Ravens

It is not clear how long captive ravens have been held in the Tower for, though the intelligent birds, which are common in Britain, often nested in towns throughout history.

However, according to local legend, the Tower's relationship with captive ravens could date back to King Charles II, who reigned in the mid-17th century (r1660-1685 to be precise)

Charles II is thought to have been the first to insist that the ravens of the Tower be protected after he was warned that the crown and the Tower itself would fall if they left.

The King's order was given against the wishes of his astronomer, John Flamsteed, who complained the ravens impeded the business of his observatory.

A common superstition now holds that 'if the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.'

Another  version has it that the head of the medieval Celtic warrior Brân (a name that means ‘crow’ or ‘raven’) lies buried beneath the White Tower and that the ravens embody his spirit.

However others believe the legend is likely to be a Victorian 'flight of fantasy'.

In the Second World War the ravens were used as spotters for bombs and planes during the Blitz.

When numbers fell to just a single raven guard, Winston Churchill ordered that the flock — known as an “unkindness” — be increased to at least six to comply with the ancient legend.

 When you visit the Tower and have a guided tour by a Yeoman, they all delight in teasing about the six birds from the legend, but we know they have a little trick up their sleeve and have spares. There are still seven there today.

The Tower does have a breeding programme although most of the current flock of Ravens were brought to the Tower as chicks. There are two - Poppy and Georgie - who were born there as part of the programme. The other birds are called Jubilee, Harris, Gripp, Rocky and Erin. 

Last year three new raven chicks were born at the Tower in April during the first lockdown. 2019 had seen the first chicks to be born in the Tower in three decades.

The new chicks hatched in early April and grew fast, although they didn’t remain at the Tower of London owing to lack of space.

Behind the Scenes with Time Out

Two Ravens on the Gun outside the White Tower

We watched this pair for a while when we there in the July and were entertained how they used the gun for shade. It actually seemed to amuse them as much as us how they used it to echo their raucous Caw Caw calls, as they seemed to do it all the more just for effect.

The Ravens are free to roam the Tower precincts during the day and preside over four different territories within the Tower's walls. Visitors are warned not to become over familiar or try to feed them - they can bite if they feel their territory is being threatened.

Size Comparisons - most Rook and Crow are similar size around 90cm wingspan. Ravens wingspan is up to approx 150cm

The Rooks in our garden seem absolutely huge, so this gives you some idea of scale.

‘Joe’ Rook at the top of The Totem by our feeders

For anyone who wants more background:

Origin of the Tower and Some Salient Points

The Tower of London was built on the demand of William the Conqueror after he defeated Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson in the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and then marched on to London.

The castle, which took almost 20 years to build, was designed to proclaim his power over London and stave off any potential rebellion.

It was expanded and later became a prison.

Henry VI was murdered at the Tower in 1471 and, later, the children of his great rival Edward IV – the Princes in the Tower - vanished within its walls in 1483.

The Tower was guarded by the the famous Yeoman Warders, known as 'Beefeaters'. Henry VII's personal guards were the first 'Beefeaters', so named as they were permitted to eat as much beef as they wanted from the King's table.

It was also the site of the beheading of Henry VIII's wife Anne Boleyn.

Today, alongside being a tourist attraction, it is home to the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

Yeoman Warder in full ceremonial dress uniform as dating from Tudor times

We took these photos as we were lucky enough to witness the Ceremony of the Constable’s Dues. Read about that Here.

Guard outside The Queen’s House, which today is residence for the Governor

NOTE:

It’s not only Ravens who’ve lived at the Tower, the grounds housed the Royal Menagerie for many, many years and when it was closed in 1824 on the grounds of animal welfare and compassion, the animals who were moved were the foundation of London Zoo.

Luckily today, the only live inhabitants, apart from humans, are the Ravens and we did see a solitary Squirrel. Everything else is represented by impressive models.

NB: I’ve been checking, but unfortunately there’s no positive news about Merlina. I’ll keep watching.

Rook, Crow or Raven Wildlife Trust

The Tower of London Twitter account - news of Merlina’s disappearance on 13th July 2021.

FOR HOME LEARNING:

To read all about Ancient Fortresses try Here ‘The History of the Tower of London spans across more than one thousand years and the reigns of countless Kings and Queens.A unique fully comprehensive Timeline has been developed to guide you through the key events of the Tower of London and its bloody history.’

NOTES FROM THE KITCHEN:

We were having a delivery of logs today but I’ve just had a call to delay due to the weather. It is misty and pouring with rain and looks set for the day. Yuck.

The delivery’s been rescheduled for tomorrow.

We’re hunkering down tonight with a chicken curry.

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To develop a. area for your cat to sleep, try placing a covering up somewhere high, e.g. on top of a cupboard or rack. Nevertheless, it is best to make an exception when inviting a new kittycat into your home. Leaving her trash and also pertaining to deal with you is a disorientating experience. If you leave her alone it might trigger her distress, particularly at night.

These infections are very typical as well as inoculation will shield your cat against prolonged illness, but since there are various stress of cat 'flu the vaccine will certainly not totally remove the threat. Vets advise that all felines, both indoor as well as exterior, need to have the routine vaccinations versus the list below conditions depending on your individual scenarios. If your cat is alone with someone intermittently dropping in to deal with their food/water/litter needs, they won't be protected in case of a fire, unexpected disease, crash, or escape. Absolutely, they are creatures of behavior and call for a day-to-day routine, but we function extremely difficult to obtain that exact same degree of convenience when your cat stays with us. Sure, a cat's residence is undoubtedly their castle and it's where they feel the most comfy, even if it's not always the best choice.

Many cases are taken care of with appropriate prescription antibiotics, as opposed to vaccination, yet vaccination might be proper where there is a native to the island trouble within a multi-cat household. ' If they start weeping at 5am (when they're normally awake) and also they get interest from that, whether negative or positive, they will certainly remain to wake their proprietors up right now,' Anita claims. Your cat probably does not wake you up at 6am since they do not desire you to be late for work, however due to the fact that they know you'll award that practices with lots of head strokes and snuggles.

Whenever you require to leave your cat alone for greater than 1 day, you need to have someone monitoring in on them. If your feline is healthy and balanced as well as you can make certain a risk-free environment, leaving a cat alone over night should not trigger huge problems.

Animal Resting.

' External cues will certainly also be 'back chained' which indicates that the cat can chain with each other various cues that anticipate something will take place. Play is a great indicator of happiness, and also your kitty will certainly have fun with various other pet dogs as well as human beings that they like or trust fund. If your kitty is sleeping with their paws put under, they are feeling unwinded and home.

Top 5 Boarding Options For Your Pet.

From around ₤ 4- ₤ 5 daily per cat in the a lot more silent rural areas to ₤ 10- ₤ 11 daily per cat (or more!) in more busy areas near airports, motorways etc . If the cattery proprietor seems unfriendly or declines to let you see the premises after that go somewhere else. The view, odor or noise from pet dogs in kennels can be extremely stressful for cats and is ideal prevented. Putting them in a strange atmosphere, possibly with other felines around them, can make them very dissatisfied and cause them stopping consuming. However, unlike pets they find it difficult to get used to brand-new surroundings-- therefore why pet cats are seldom removed from their home.

Take Into Consideration A Cat Caretaker.

Food, fresh water, as well as a minimum of a couple litter boxes are a must. Yet, if your cat has health concerns or separation anxiety, try to find other alternatives.

Kitty-proofing your house before you go lowers the chance of injuries. A stimulating setting can avoid monotony, as well as you can likewise check in on your cat if you established an animal cam, such as a Petcube Bites 2 which allows you fling deals with bent on them.

When you know you will only be gone a few hours, you can miss this action and stick to the normal feeding timetable. You can keep a feeding timetable if you get a pet food dispenser. Strategy in advance as well as don't disregard your cat when you have to go away for extended periods of time.

Cats can be very conscious the pre-holiday pressure-- they are wise animals and also can pick up when something's up. Attempt to maintain your primary task calmness-- avoiding the frenzied, final 'pack-and-dash' will certainly aid keep everyone's nerves in check. Plug-in pheromone diffusers can also aid to create a soothing atmosphere in your home and also lower any tension felt by your cat. If your neighbour has been kind sufficient to consent to feeding obligations, why not ask if they mind extending their visits a little, to consist of some socialisation time? You can likewise ask for that they feed your cat at normal times, to maintain a feeling of regular.

FeLV is a lifelong infection as well as sadly most felines will pass away within 3 years of diagnosis, usually from a succeeding condition like leukaemia, lymphoma or modern anaemia. It is not an air-borne condition as well as can only be passed on using straight contact in between cats. Because of the significant nature of the disease, CP advises FeLV vaccination. Two kinds of cat 'flu are vaccinated versus feline herpesvirus (FHV-1) as well as feline calicivirus.

They may smell as well as take a look at the body, cry or overlook it entirely-- and also any type of reaction must be thought about normal. That's the only method we can clarify to them what has happened to their pal, and why a beloved cat- or dog-friend has actually gone away from their life.

If you're planning to travel in the active summer months or over the Xmas as well as Easter holidays, you'll want to provide a lot of advance notification. If you're preparing to use catteries, try to obtain your cat utilized to them from kittenhood as older pet cats might struggle a bit with the adjustment of atmosphere. If you tend to travel quite a bit, whether it's for organization or satisfaction, Trusted Housesitters can be the ideal cat resting application for you. Owners just need to acquire a proprietor plan which is a one-off annual payment, then you can have as numerous rests as you like!

Not every animal will react at all, while a percentage appears to endure greatly. When pets regret, they usually show their feeling of loss with behavior changes. In fact, separation anxiousness is one kind of sorrow-- your cat just comprehends a person she likes is gone. Pet loss as well as despair can be difficult and heartbreaking for people, yet it can be an even better obstacle to aid the enduring pet dogs take care of pet loss. Amy is a prize-winning Certified Pet Habits Consultant and author of 27 pet dog treatment books.

Invite To The Cats Hotel.

It is one of the agents that might be accountable for 'kennel cough' in pets.

To aid you, we can place an image on ourcat galleryif you such as, as long as your cat has actually had time sufficient to kick back and also have it done.

Felines most at risk are those in multi-cat families, or cats that share their setting with canines.

A microbial infection with Bordetella bronchiseptica can create respiratory tract signs such as coughing or pneumonia.

For longer keeps, it is feasible to prepare streaming video clip of your pet cats for a period of time, if you can reach a suitable broadband link whilst you're away, please see Corresponding for information.

A bacterial infection with Chlamydophila felis causes conjunctivitis and top respiratory system disease. Young kitties are most susceptible, typically at an age when they are too young to be immunized.

While it might be jarring to some individuals to feel rooted out and also hair transplanted in a strange setting, boarding your cat with us is a remarkable, and also safe, alternate to being alone at home. In addition, cats that depend on medicine, subcutaneous liquid treatment, or specialized diet plan can have all their demands without delay attended to by a caring, expert personnel. How attached are pet cats to their proprietors, as well as does a cat miss you when you're gone? In this short article, you will find everything regarding cats & accessory + valuable ideas for when you take place holiday. Obtain the current information from Petcube regarding animal treatment, rescue and also funny videos.

With A Series Of Holiday Accommodation We Can Provide For Individual Cats, Or Small Households.

General brushing as part of the daily program must be carried out if the cat likes it. Once more, one should talk about with the proprietor when making a reservation. Many catteries will be able to carry out a prescription diet to your cat if you provide it. It is advisable to discuss this with the proprietor of the cattery when making a reservation. Cattery365 can just originate from the veterinarian but you can give this to the cattery to feed the cat.

Boarding Cattery Services

Word-of-mouth suggestions from buddies as well as your veterinarian are excellent beginning factors, however do your very own research also. If for any type of factor you feel awkward regarding the plan, follow your gut instinct and discover another cat sitting solution or cattery. For satisfaction, you might determine to maintain your cat inside while you're away. Not only will this indicate they're always there when the pet-sitter calls, but you'll be a lot more kicked back understanding that they're not entering into any type of problem in the big outdoors. Probably 60% perhaps extra felines that come below have actually been through a re-homing workout, or have actually been mistreated and so re-homed at some stage.

It can be difficult to manage envy in a cat, yet there are points you can do to get rid of or reduce the unwanted habits. A jealous cat can be much more aggressive and also start damaging or biting. It may additionally result in harmful habits, consisting of eating or shredding furnishings, drapes, and also various other products. Things resting on a kitchen counter or table, such as a glass or decor, may be knocked over or damaged too.

International Cat Treatment, a long-standing cat charity in the United Kingdom, has actually defined standards for the construction and also management of boarding catteries. ICC criteria are in enhancement to those set by neighborhood councils for licensing purposes. Felines must be adequately cared for, otherwise the proprietor of the cattery might deal with lawsuit by the regulation or cat defense bodies such as the RSPCA if the proprietor of the cat really feel that it be essential. Vaccination is usually a safe treatment that has actually significantly decreased the occurrence of severe disease within the feline population. That said, injections are not entirely without threat, and also suitable and also cautious use is suggested.

A perturbed cat will correct its legs and put up the hair along the back, while a cat in a great state of mind will certainly diminish to show up small and unthreatening. Singing felines may have lengthy conversations with you, and the pitch of their meow will certainly mention exactly how they are feeling. Much like us, our feline buddies share exactly how they really feel via body movement as well as vocalisations, as well as utilize several components of their body to show us how they're really feeling. Working out a budget and also guaranteeing you can manage a pet is essential.

Progressively make the times longer up until they are used to being inside of the carrier. If they wont go into the service provider by themselves, tempting them with deals with or their favored toys would be a great way of obtaining them therein. Its most likely better to have your buddy review your home initially so your kittycat gets used to them.

If you are gone with as well lengthy vacationing your cat can likewise feel lonesome as well as anxious when you aren't about so this is something else you should keep in mind. You might likewise make use of pheromones such as a feliway collar or spray to aid them really feel more calm also. If you're utilizing a bottle you'll intend to ask your close friend to spray it around your home.

Petcube Play 2 will provide you an opportunity to see your cat and see how they are making out while you are away. Learn how much time your cat can stay at home alone as well as what you require to do to guarantee they are safe, healthy and balanced and also satisfied. Pet cats are recognized for being independent, but you still feel guilty leaving them alone throughout the day while you go to job. But thanks to remote interactive devices like Petcube pet video cameras, you can check in on them anytime.

Thoughtful presents or souvenirs from your holiday will assist show your recognition for the additional effort. Sparta Pet Dog Palazzo in Plano, TX, charges a conventional price of $29/night for a cat of any kind of age or size, as well as also supplies daycare services starting at $18/day. Pets Are Inn in Bucks County, , charges a price of $45/day for felines younger than 18 months, and $40/day for felines older than 18 months. If a cat has actually had a key inoculation program complied with by a very first booster within twelve month, it just needs a single booster injection 2 weeks prior to it goes into the cattery .

When it's a new person in the residence, try to maintain their individual possessions out of places your cat formerly claimed. It can additionally be practical to have that person connect with the cat in or near that place. Get a couple of interactive toys, such as feather wands and laser pointers, that permit you to have fun with your feline pal.

When your kittycat has expanded to like your pal, reviewing their residence will be a lot easier on them because it will remove some tension of the brand-new home. Cats are known for being afraid of adjustment and your kitten may possibly not appreciate mosting likely to an additional home as a result of this. Nonetheless, If you keep bring them over there residence they may expand to take pleasure in the experience. Felines can be educated to appreciate taking a trip and or walking around a great deal so it would certainly be completely fine to take them to your pals home so as lengthy as it does not stress your kitten out.

Most significantly, make certain the cat caretaker has every one of your get in touch with details, plus those of a back-up in case they can not reach you. Leave your vet's get in touch with information also, along with your cat's silicon chip details, plus any kind of necessary vet as well as medical history.

If this happens to be the instance with your kitten you might not want to bring them at all. Ask our behaviorist in the comments listed below and also you might be featured in an upcoming column.

Certainly, although in addition to kitties, when not proactively being played with, expanded cats do not actually ever before appear to make much use of them whilst below, see Q. 11. Some resting products not newly laundered and so giving off home though, is well worth considering bringing nevertheless. Pet cats can share a run, so long as they hop on and obviously they need to be exact same "household" members, we also need to have a sharing run readily available. However, if we really feel one of the cats is being "bullied", we might after that divide them as necessary, for pet welfare/husbandry reasons.

Keep in mind, she's spent her brief life surrounded by her brother or sisters and mother - as well as currently she's alone in a new home. To stay clear of complication and deal peace of mind, it is best to permit your kitty right into your room for the first few nights. If you plan to sleep in addition to your cat, it is recommended to maintain your bedroom door shut as well as supply her a comfy choice to your bed in other locations of your house. If you wish to enable your cat to sleep in with you, right here are some simple pointers to aid make sure every person rests well. You've uncovered this page because you have concerns concerning your solo cat's wellness.

Viewing the pal's body enables them to understand he's not returning. They still regret but aren't driven to try to find their missing pal. Often their character modifications and also a reluctant cat can end up being a lot more demanding of attention, while a requiring cat rather hides. As well as the proprietors in the household may overlook habits changes while taking care of their own feeling of loss.

[tpltravelled]

Tony Rathbone - a few words ...

Having had enough of the beatings and abuse of my childhood and teenage years, one day I got the National Express away from Tees-side which, via a circuitous loop of Northern England, eventually dropped me on a cold wet winters night in Keswick. I stayed a few nights in the YHA there, and a few more at the Longthwaite Hostel down yon end of Borrowdale. Whilst at school we’d come to Borrowdale on outdoor ed trips, and had been told about Millican Dalton and his cave on the hillside behind Grange.

I spent the best part of the next 6 months living in ‘The Cave Hotel’, making forays down to Keswick to buy food and look for work. I did some labouring bits and pieces and eventually found work in an outdoor equipment shop. Apparently my attire and my general hygiene were a bit ‘unbecoming’ after a Summer in the cave, so the job was dependent on having had a wash, and having incinerated the clothes I stood up in. I rented a room in Keswick therafter.

It was one of the mornings walking down Stanger Street to the shop that I first met Tony Rathbone. ‘You’re the new lad in the other shop’ he observed, ‘how you doing lad ?’ he asked. And we nattered a bit, and went on our ways.

Over the next year or so I saw Tony many a time. By then he owned several shops in the town, and whilst walking between them, or towards home on The Heads, he would stop and pass the time of day with anyone. I learnt a while later that as well as being disarmingly friendly, he was also just keeping his local knowledge topped up. Who was doing what, what was going on where, who was involved.

One time I bumped in to him in the depths of winter and we wandered down to the side of the lake and sat and nattered, and he recounted being a kid and ice-skating out in to the middle of the lake. Fitness and resilience to hardship was something that Tony had in spades but didn’t seek to brag about. I thought he was impervious to the cold.

Time rolled on and I moved down to Hawkshead to help run the YHA, and then off to join the Army after a short time at Uni.

I was sat in Helmand, Afghanistan having a brew with a bloke about 10 years ago, nattering about the hills that we both missed, and what ideas we had for when we got home on Rn’R. My colleague mentioned that he fancies doing a long walk or run in the Lake District. One thing led to another and I fired an email off to Keswick. Years before Tony had put me on to a book called ‘Joss Naylor MBE Was Here’, the account of Joss Naylor’s traverse of all 214 Wainwright Summits in the Summer of ’86. In my email I mentioned that I used to know Tony Rathbone, and would they mind posting a copy of Joss’s book out.

The book duly arrived, and with it was a handwritten note signed by Cpl Rathbone. Tony had been in the RAF, and, having been told about my email, he started to write to me, clearly recounting the walks and banter we had had the best part of 20 years previously. All his notes started with Sir, and oftentimes he’d write ‘stood to attention writing this, Sir’ …. Sometimes he’d include a copy of the Keswick Reminder newspaper.

On one trip home on Rn’R I managed to book a small cottage on the road through Rosthwaite in Borrowdale. Arriving at night after a journey of about 7500km, I opened the door of the cottage the next morning and went off in search of a pint of milk. I stepped out the cottage and bumped straight in to Tony. ‘Now then youth, are you AWOL ?’ he asked, without missing a step. He’d taken the bus down the valley and was on his way to present the prizes at the Borrowdale Fell Race with Joss.

Despite being at war within sight of the mountains of Central Asia, I oftentimes yearned for the fells of the Lake District when I was home. A sort of hefting. I had broken the abusive chains and ‘fled’ there when I was able, and decades later would still wander to the belvedere outside Millican’s Cave and brew up and press pause.

I’d pop in to Rathbones and ask where Tony was, and if he was in town one of his sons would ring him and we’d have a wander and a pint. If he wasn’t at home he’d be off flying his paraglider, or, most recently riding his bike …

In 2014 Tony beat the Guinness world record and became the oldest person to complete the Land’s End to John O’Groats ride. He travelled with his friend, Bill Skipper, and the pair raised money for local charities completing the 867 mile ride in 11 cycling days.

I went up to see him later that Summer and we drove round to Patterdale to see the ‘Paper Bridge’ art installation in Grisedale by Steve Messam. Tony took some pictures, and I vividly recall his eagerness to stop and chat to anyone about anything and pass the time of day with folks young and old. On the way back we passed the old farm that he said he had been brought up in in the valley.

Not content with the previous summers bike ride, Tony then went the other way round (John O’Groats to Land’s End) in 2015, he rode solo, unsupported and unwitnessed, and therefore not recognised by Guinness, albeit he took less time and broke his own record.

It wasn’t long after that ride that he woke up on the floor of The Bank Tavern in Keswick having collapsed mid-beer. Then followed a series of emails from his son Paul telling me what had happened to his Dad. I believe there was an episode of many (seven ?) heart attacks in one night. Tony summarised it later by saying, ‘I’m a bloody Rathbone, I’m not giving up over a few heart attacks’. He then had ‘serious’ heart surgery in Newcastle and was sent home to convalesce. Or at least he should have been.

I caught up with him in March ’16. Having been given a training programme of several weeks long to do a zimmer frame assisted shuffle from home to the newsagents (Youdale’s on Main Street), he had, in Paul’s words, ‘smashed it’ in 5 days. A few days after that he was caught timing himself, and trying to get his PB done. Always with a Mars Bar hidden in his pocket like a bairn with sweets they shouldn’t have. He had the sweetest of tooths.

We went for tea in The George not long after that, he was funny, and telling stories about the town, recognising his friends, and chatting about his flying escapades (paragliding over nudist beaches in Spain with his camera !!). That was probably the last time I saw the bright shining lights on in his eyes.

The few times after that that I saw Tony his health and his memory were deteriorating. We’d sit on the sofa in his lounge and, well, the lights weren’t on, but we would turn the pages of a walking guidebook and you could see the flicker of recognition.

I remember always being grateful for time spent with Tony, more as a wise older friend, despite him being nigh on twice my age. His deep understanding of people and place always impressed me, as did his willingness to pass the time of day with anyone, and be genuinely interested in their story. Years ago he told me to ‘understand my soldiers’, and said that he had learnt that lesson from his National service and cared dearly for all of his shop staff, and took an interest in them as far more than ‘just’ employees. He was also genuinely interested in my military service and we’d often swap stories and compare notes about his service. A thing that binds service personnel is ‘the blokes’ and many decades later he could still recount his colleagues in the RAF, and spin daft stories and mishaps and capers that they, like all ‘squaddies’, had got up to.

I was in my office today and, grabbing a cuppa, flicked through social media quickly, and those Rathbone eyes looked back at me …

Rathbones of Keswick tweeted that:

‘Sadly, Tony Rathbone died this morning. A pioneering hang glider, pilot, cyclist, hill walker and a truly good man. Off for his last flight and missed by us all’

I can’t raise a glass to him because I’ve given up the drink. Doubtless he’d rib me mercilessly for that, but I will journey up to the belvedere at Millican’s Cave soon, brew up, and pour out two teas and unwrap two Mars Bars, and sit for a while.

Go well marra.

Photographs:

1 - Tony Rathbone by Robert Rathbone

2 - on the belvedere

3 - Me ‘ascending’ The Paper Arch by Tony Rathbone

4 - Millican Dalton reading the newspaper outside Youdale’s Newsagents in Keswick

[rainsoakedsmiles]

Bechloe Week Day 2: Summer Camp

Summary: Beca’s a junior counselor for her first time at summer camp this year and she happens to be in love with the senior counselor of their cabin.

“Come on Beca, you have to be a junior counselor this year!” Stacie begged her best friend. “We’re too old to be campers.”

“But we’re not even gonna be in the same cabin,” Beca sighed.

“I know, but I’ve been wanting to do this since I was a little kid,” Stacie replied. “Beca it’ll be fun, come on.”

“Fine,” the shorter brunette said with a sigh.

**********

Week 1

That’s how Beca Mitchell ended up on a bus to Camp Dixie next to her best friend who wouldn’t stop talking about the hot guys she hoped to hook up with there.

“Which counselor are you hoping for?” Stacie wondered.

“Anyone but Aubrey Posen,” Beca shuddered. “That girl gives me nightmares.”

“Isn’t she best friends with Chloe? The redhead one,” the taller girl clarified.

“Oh yeah,” Beca remembered. “She’s really pretty.”

“Oh my god I hope you get Chloe! Then you two will be spending lots of time together,” Stacie winked. “Didn’t you used to have a crush on her too?”

“Yeah when I was like 8,” Beca laughed. “I didn’t see her last year. I wonder if she’ll be back this time.”

“I really hope she is,” Stacie said, wiggling her eyebrows at the shorter girl. “You like her don’t you?”

“No, not anymore, and I really hope I don’t get her because you’re gonna be like this all summer,” Beca said, shaking her head at the taller girl.

“You know I will,” Stacie winked as she put her earbuds in. “Wake me up when we get there.”

An hour and a half later, Beca elbowed Stacie in the arm. “We’re here,” she said as she grabbed her drawstring bag from under the seat.

“Help me up,” Stacie whined tiredly as she held her hand out for Beca.

“You and your damn giraffe legs,” Beca laughed as she pulled her friend up. “You ready?”

“Yeah,” Stacie smiled as they got off the bus and got their duffle bags from the trunk.

They went to the sign in table and checked off their names before seeing which group they were in. “Ha ha you got Aubrey,” Beca whispered with a laugh. “Fuck I got Chloe,” she sighed, shaking her head.

Stacie smirked as she picked up her bag. “You know where you’re going?”

“Yep,” Beca said. “I hate that we’re on opposite ends of the cabins.”

“I know,” Stacie sighed. “Aubrey and Chloe are best friends though, they’re bound to want to sick together.”

“I guess you’re right,” Beca replied. “See you later.” She headed over to Cabin 5 and walked inside.

“Beca!” Chloe said excitedly as she walked inside.

“Hey,” Beca smiled shyly as she set her bags down. Damn, she forgot how pretty Chloe was. “It’s good to see you,” she said.

“You too,” Chloe smiled as she gave the shorter girl a hug.

“I didn’t see you around last year,” the shorter girl said.

“I know, I was preoccupied with…other stuff,” Chloe replied with a shrug. “Top bunk okay?”

“That’s great,” Beca replied as she tossed her bags up there, making a mental note to ask Chloe about it later. “So when do the campers get here?”

“In about 2 hours,” Chloe said. “Do you want to set up your stuff later and go take a walk down by the lake?”

“Sure,” Beca replied as she hopped down from the ladder.

“You’re going into your sophomore year right?” Chloe wondered.

Beca nodded. “You’re going into your freshman year of college?”

“Yep!” Chloe smiled. “Barden University.”

“Nice,” the brunette replied. “Are you excited?”

“Nervous,” Chloe laughed. “How’s high school going?”

“Good,” Beca said.

“You got a boyfriend?” Chloe wondered with a smirk.

“I’m not exactly into guys,” Beca laughed. “But I’m single.”

“Me either,” Chloe laughed. “My ex girlfriend broke up with me last spring.”

“Aw I’m sorry,” Beca said sympathetically.

“She was really awful to me at the end of our relationship,” Chloe said disappointedly as she dipped her feet into the water. “I never realized how manipulative and horrible girls could be. It was so unexpected.”

“That’s really shitty dude,” the brunette said genuinely. “Why weren’t you here last summer?”

“It’s a long story,” Chloe sighed. “I hope you don’t mind but I’m really not ready to talk about it yet.”

“Take your time,” Beca said reassuringly. “I’ll be ready to listen when you feel comfortable.”

“Thanks,” Chloe smiled. “Come in the water,” she laughed.

Beca kicked her Birkenstocks off and stepped in a little bit. “It’s cold.”

“You’re ridiculous,” the redhead laughed at Beca as she splashed a little bit on her upper legs.

“Fuck, stop!” Beca laughed as she kicked some at Chloe.

“We’re so immature, I’m surprised they even let us be counselors,” Chloe said with a laugh. “Wanna go get something to drink in the cafeteria?”

“Sure,” Beca smiled.

And they were off, already adventuring within 5 minutes of really knowing each other.

**********

Week 2

“Are you awake?” Beca asked from the top bunk with a sigh.

“Yeah, come down here,” Chloe replied. “Bring your pillows too, I’m not sharing.”

Beca tossed her pillows under the bunk and climbed down the ladder. “I can’t sleep during storms.”

“Me either,” Chloe replied as she sat up, propping her pillows against the wall and motioning for Beca to do the same. “You okay?”

“I’m great,” Beca said seriously. “This is what I look forward to every year.”

“That’s cute,” Chloe smiled. “I love it every year but being back this year makes everything so much better.”

“Why?” Beca wondered.

“Okay so remember last week I told you my ex girlfriend was really awful to me before we broke up?”

The younger girl nodded.

“Before we broke up she told people that I was too fat to be with and then a week later when she was breaking up with me she told me had I just wasn’t her type. I wasn’t her fucking type after 3 years of dating.”

“That’s horrible,” Beca said sadly, wrapping her arms around the older girl. “I think you’re beautiful and perfect just the way you are.”

“Thank you,” Chloe said genuinely. “But anyway, that really killed my confidence and I ended up in the hospital for treatment for depression and anorexia last summer. That’s why I wasn’t here.”

“Oh my god Chloe, that’s terrible,” Beca said sadly.

“I gained a lot of weight in the last year I was with her because my grandma passed away and I was really stressed for a long time, but she was always supportive. It just messed me up so much.”

“I was gonna say it looked like you lost some weight, I’m really sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Chloe replied. “You’re the first person besides Aubrey that I’ve told.”

“I won’t say a word to anyone,” Beca said seriously. “I understand what it’s like to keep a part of yourself closed off. My dad left me and my mom when I was 10 and she passed away a few years later so I had to move in with him even though he’s an alcoholic.”

“I’m sorry life has been so shitty to you,” Chloe said sadly. “It’s been rough on both of us.”

“You’re the happiest person I’ve ever met,” Beca said seriously.

“I always am here,” Chloe smiled. “Hey Beca? You think you can stay here tonight? We have to wake up before the kids anyway.”

“Yeah,” Beca nodded, resting her head on Chloe’s shoulder. “You know when we were kids I had a huge crush on you.”

“Really?” Chloe asked with a smile. “When?”

“You were like 11 and I was 8. It was my first year at camp and I was so scared so you let me lay in your bed with you, just like we are now,” Beca said softly. “It was the first and last time we were ever in a cabin together until now.”

“I remember that,” Chloe smiled. “Here, lay down,” she said softly, putting Beca’s pillows next to hers. “You seem really tense. Do you need a back rub?”

“I’m fine,” Beca replied. “Storms make me anxious.”

“I got you,” Chloe said, softly stroking the brunette’s back. “I’m right here.”

“I know, I’ll be fine,” Beca smiled. “Night Chlo.”

“Night Becs,” Chloe replied with a smile.

**********

Week 3

“Beca why are you in Chloe’s bed?” An 11 year old camper named Charlotte asked when she woke the brunette up.

“We were just talking and we fell asleep, what’s up,” Beca wondered.

“There’s a spider,” Charlotte said anxiously as she clung to Beca’s arm.

“Oh god,” Beca said in fear. “Chloe wake up, there’s a spider.”

“Where?” Chloe asked as she rubbed her eyes.

“On the wall by the door,” Charlotte said.

“Oh that little thing,” Chloe laughed, smacking the spider with her shoe.

“Beca said you guys were talking and you fell asleep in your bed,” Charlotte said.

“Yeah we do that a lot,” Chloe admitted with a laugh. “Plus it was storming and Beca’s-”

“I’m not afraid of storms,” Beca said quickly. “Just go to bed Charlotte, its late.”

“Okay, thanks Chloe,” the girl said before walking across the cabin to her bed.

Beca began to climb up the ladder when Chloe grabbed her hand. “Just stay here, I’m cold.”

Beca smiled and crawled back into Chloe’s bed. “My little spider killing hero,” she laughed.

“That’s what I am,” Chloe smirked. “We have to be up in an hour to go help with breakfast,” she sighed.

“I’ll go get us coffee and we can just stay up,” Beca suggested.

“That sounds amazing,” Chloe smiled. “I’ll be on the porch.”

Beca went off to the cafeteria to get coffee for them and found Aubrey in there with the same idea. “Hey Bree,” she smiled as she got two mugs out.

“Hi Beca,” Aubrey smiled. “Can’t sleep either?”

“No, we were awoken because there was a spider,” Beca said with a laugh. “We figured it’d be best not to fall asleep again.”

Aubrey nodded. “You guys got breakfast duty?”

“Yeah,” the brunette replied.

“This isn’t my place to say anything but Chloe’s my best friend and her happiness is so important to me, especially after all that’s happened to her since last year,” Aubrey began. “She’s gotten really close to you, and she doesn’t want to make the first move because she’s older and she doesn’t want anything to be weird, but she likes you and it sounds like you like her so I strongly suggest you tell her while you have the chance.”

“She does?” Beca smiled excitedly.

“Yes,” Aubrey said, softening her expression at the smile on Beca’s face. “She’s gonna be scared though, considering what her ex did to her, but she trusts you so much, probably just as much as she trusts me.”

“I don’t mean to threaten you,” the younger girl said quickly. “You’re her best friend and I know that.”

“I just want her to be happy,” the blonde replied. “You make her so happy, Beca. This place always makes her happy but she’s just on cloud 9 this year.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Beca smiled. “Want me to let you know how it goes?”

“I’m sure she will,” Aubrey winked. “See you at breakfast.”

“Bye,” Beca smiled as she walked away with the mugs of coffee.

She walked back to the cabin and handed Chloe the mug before sitting down on the porch swing next to her. “So I had a thought,” she said with an awkward laugh.

“Oh no,” Chloe smirked. “Don’t hurt yourself.”

“Shut up,” Beca laughed, playfully smacking Chloe on the arm. “It’s about us.”

“There’s an us?” Chloe wondered.

“I’d like there to be,” Beca shrugged. “Chloe I really like you, I have since we were kids. And I know I’m a lot younger than you but I just want to make you happy. You deserve it so much.”

“I like you too,” Chloe smiled, wrapping her arm around Beca. “Does your dad know you’re…”

“Gay,” Beca clarified. “He does and he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care what I do.”

“My parents know about me too,” Chloe said. “They’re so supportive but they’re just really overbearing, especially my mom. I was glad to get away this summer.”

“Me too,” Beca smiled. “Will you go out with me?” She asked hesitantly.

Chloe nodded with a smile. “I’d love to. Just a fair warning though, I’m letting you take the reins on this because you’re younger and I want to take things at your pace.”

“That means a lot, Chlo,” Beca said softly.

“And I’m sorry if I’m really hesitant about things,” the redhead said genuinely. “I’m terrified to be honest.”

“I’m never going to hurt you like that,” Beca said seriously. “You don’t have to be scared with me. You deserve to be happy.”

Chloe nodded. “It’s gonna take time, but I want to be with you.”

“I know you’re going to college at Barden in the fall but where do you live now?” Beca asked.

“Savannah,” Chloe replied. “How about you?”

“Atlanta,” Beca sighed. “That’s so far dude.”

“Well in the fall I’ll be in Atlanta,” Chloe smiled. “It’ll only be about a month without seeing each other.”

“I guess you’re right,” Beca said disappointedly. “We still have another 3 weeks together too.”

“We’re gonna make the most of it,” Chloe smiled, kissing Beca on the cheek. “Can we just keep it on the down low? I don’t think it’d go over too well.”

“Yeah,” Beca nodded in understanding. “Sneaking around will be fun,” she smirked. “I’m gonna go get dressed. You good here?”

“Yeah,” Chloe smiled as her girlfriend stood up. “Let me braid your hair though.”

“Just like when we were kids,” Beca laughed as she walked inside. It felt so good to finally be with her childhood crush. She just hoped they would last.

Week 4

“I hate swimming,” Chloe sighed. “And I hate that I have to get in this time.”

“Why?” Beca wondered with a laugh. “It’s just us and Stacie and Bree’s group.”

“I really don’t want to wear a swimsuit,” Chloe admitted with a sigh.

“You’ll look amazing,” Beca whispered in her ear, glancing around before pressing a quick kiss to the side of her head. “Let’s go get changed.”

“Do you have a bikini?” Chloe wondered.

Beca shook her head. It’s a 1 piece from Pink. Is yours a bikini?“

"Yeah,” the redhead sighed again. “I hate my body, I just-”

“You’re beautiful,” the shorter girl said seriously. “You’re so amazing, I love you.”

“I love you too,” Chloe smiled. “Can you come with me to tie it?”

“Yeah,” Beca replied as she walked off to the bathroom with Chloe. “Calm down babe, you’re gonna beautiful.”

Chloe nodded as she turned towards the corner of the stall to take her shirt off. “Sorry I’m just really self conscious and I-”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, I understand,” Beca said softly.

Chloe clipped the bikini in the back and lifted her hair up so Beca could tie it. “Thanks babe.”

Beca smiled as she turned around. “You’re beautiful,” she breathed out, running her fingers along Chloe’s ribs. They weren’t that noticeable, but you could definitely see them. Chloe winced at the touch but instantly relaxed when she saw Beca’s loving smile. “Have you been eating enough?” the brunette asked gently.

“Yeah,” Chloe nodded. “It’s hard to gain weight.”

“I just want to make sure you’re doing okay, I’m not gonna force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“I need to eat Becs,” Chloe said seriously. “I’ve been doing okay but if I ever start relapsing, don’t be afraid to tell me to eat.”

“Okay,” Beca nodded.

“My Mom is constantly forcing it on me and if makes me upset but I understand why,” Chloe said sadly.

“Can we go now?” An 8 year old named Katie asked impatiently.

“Yeah,” Chloe said, squeezing Beca’s hand before letting go of it. “Let’s go girls!” She said. “Becs can you grab our towels?”

“Yeah,” Beca said as she stopped by their bunk to get the towels. They walked down to the lake and met Stacie and Aubrey at the shore.

“Hey lovebirds,” Stacie smirked.

“How are you guys?” Aubrey asked.

“I feel disgusting in this swimsuit,” Chloe said, lowering her voice.

“Relax Chlo, you look great,” Aubrey said reassuringly.

“We’re friends, you don’t need to worry about that with us,” Stacie said seriously.

“I know,” Chloe said, shaking her head. “Bree will you guys keep an eye on the giant blob and we’ll watch the dock for now?”

“Yeah,” Aubrey said as she and Stacie walked off.

Beca and Chloe waded through the water for a bit until they climbed the ladder to the dock. “I need a nap,” Chloe yawned as she pulled Beca up.

“I know what could wake you up,” Beca smirked.

Chloe didn’t catch onto what she was doing and wrapped her arms around Beca’s waist. “What?”

“This!” Beca laughed as she lifted Chloe up and threw her into the water.

“You little bitch,” Chloe whispered with a laugh as she climbed back up on the dock.

“Beca throw me in!” A girl named Hailey said as she approached the brunette.

“Oh my god I have an idea!” Beca said excitedly as Chloe stood back up. “Chlo, grab her legs, I’ll take her arms.”

“You’re swinging me?” Hailey asked excitedly.

Beca nodded as they lifted the girl up. “Ready?”

Hailey nodded and pretty soon they swung her into the water. Beca beamed at Chloe as the girl came up from underwater. “Maybe I can go this whole day without getting my hair wet.”

“Oh I don’t think so,” Chloe laughed as she lunged at Beca and pushed her in.

“You’re unbelievable,” Beca shrieked before her head went underwater. “Can you touch the bottom?”

“Barely,” Chloe shrugged. “Which means you can’t.”

“No shit,” Beca laughed as she swam over to the side. “I love you even though you’re insane,” she grinned as she embraced Chloe in her arms.

“I love you too,” Chloe smiled.

They were really gonna miss this when it was over.

**********

Week 5

“I’ve got sunburn,” Beca whined at her girlfriend from the bathroom.

“Did you put anything on it?” Chloe asked as she appeared at the door. “And where is it?”

“On my shoulders and face,” Beca sighed. “Chloeee it hurts,” she complained. “Fix it.”

“I’ll go get my aloe, hang on,” the redhead said sympathetically. She returned a minute later with a bottle of green gel and squeezed some onto her hand. “It might hurt a little, turn around.”

Beca flinched as the cool gel touched her skin but it instantly felt better. “Thanks,” she said in relief.

“Do you want me to get your face too?”

“Yeah,” Beca said as she turned around. “You’re cute,” she said nonchalantly.

Chloe giggled as she dabbed some aloe on Beca’s face. “So are you.”

“How did you get away with no sunburn?” Beca wondered.

“Because I reapplied my sunscreen,” Chloe laughed. “Plus I mostly tan.”

“All I do is burn,” Beca laughed, shaking her head. “We have to go get the girls from the gymnasium.”

“Well put a shirt on first,” Chloe laughed, pecking Beca on the lips before she walked out of the bathroom.

Beca emerged from the bathroom a minute later and wrapped her arms around Chloe’s waist. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” Chloe replied, linking hands with the brunette. “I want to run around here telling everyone I’m dating the prettiest girl here,” she sighed.

“Come to Atlanta,” Beca said excitedly. “In like 2 weeks, just drive there and I’ll show you around and take you to all the best restaurants.”

“I have a better idea,” Chloe said. “Come to Savannah and then we can leave for Atlanta a couple of days before my orientation so you can show me around then.”

“I’ll ask my dad and my grandma,” Beca said.

“Do you live with your grandma?” Chloe wondered.

“No, but if I don’t ask her, she gets worried about me,” Beca said. “My Dad doesn’t care.”

Chloe nodded. “I’m really sorry babe, you deserve so much better than him.”

“It’s okay,” Beca shrugged. “I’ll definitely come up to see you though.”

Chloe smiled as she kissed Beca on the cheek. “How’d I get lucky enough to meet a girl from Atlanta the same summer I’m moving there?”

“How’d I get lucky enough to date my childhood crush?” Beca wondered with a laugh. “You were the reason I realized I was gay.”

“Really?”

“Well I knew I liked girls from the time you and I first met but then when I got a little older I put a label on it,” Beca shrugged. “How about you?”

“I’ve known from the time I was probably 7 or 8,” Chloe shrugged. “My parents are really supportive and I was never pressured to put a label on my feelings, but technically speaking, I’m gay,” she laughed.

“Hey Chlo, our age difference isn’t gonna matter to your family right?” Beca asked hesitantly.

“Of course not,” the redhead said reassuringly. “My parents met when they were our age and they’re 5 years apart.”

“Okay,” Beca said in relief. “I didn’t really think of what a big deal it was until now.”

“It’s not,” Chloe said. “When do you turn 16?”

“September.”

“And I just turned 18 last month,” Chloe said. “We’ll be fine.”

Beca smiled and let go of Chloe’s hand as they walked into the gymnasium. “Good,” she said sweetly. She couldn’t wait to meet Chloe’s family.

**********

Week 6

“Are you all packed?” Chloe asked as Beca climbed down from the top bunk.

Beca nodded. “How long until I see you?”

“2 weeks,” Chloe replied. “I’ll pay your bus fare for you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Beca laughed.

“You’re gonna be on a nasty coach bus for 6 hours, it’s the least I can do,” Chloe shrugged with a laugh.

“I’ll be fine,” the brunette smiled, wrapping Chloe in a hug. “Stacie’s Mom is picking us up and we usually stop to eat pretty close by so if you want to come, I’ll text you.”

“You know how happy my mom would be if I ate in front of her?” Chloe asked with a smile. “Of course I’ll come.”

“Well then we’ll say our goodbyes there,” Beca said.

“You have to come meet my mom,” Chloe said as she pulled down Beca’s bags from the top bunk. They walked outside and signed out before Chloe led her out to a car.

“Hey Mom,” she smiled as the woman unrolled the window. “I have someone I want you to meet,” she said excitedly.

“Is this the girlfriend?” The woman asked with a smile.

Chloe nodded. “This is Beca.”

“Hi,” Beca said shyly as she held onto Chloe’s hand.

“It’s so great to meet you honey! I’m Kate,” the woman said with a smile.

“You too,” the brunette smiled.

“Oh Mom, Beca and her friend are probably gonna go out to eat around here. Can we go?”

“Of course!” Kate said happily.

“I’ll see you soon,” Chloe smiled, wrapping the brunette in a hug.

Beca blew her a kiss as she walked to Stacie’s car. “We’re going to the Chick Fil A like 10 minutes away,” Stacie said as Beca climbed into the backseat.

“Mrs. Conrad, is it okay if my girlfriend and her mom join us?” Beca asked.

“You got a girlfriend?” Stacie’s Mom Candace asked excitedly. “Of course they can come!” She smiled.

“Thank you,” a Beca said genuinely as she pulled out her phone to text Chloe.

An hour later, they had all finished up their lunch and were getting ready to leave. “See you in 2 weeks,” Chloe said, wrapping her arms around Beca.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Beca said softly.

“We’ll talk every day,” Chloe said reassuringly. “It’ll fly by.”

“I love you,” Beca said. “It’s a long drive for you, make sure you eat something when you get home.”

“I will,” Chloe smiled. “I love you too.”

Beca gave her a kiss. “See you soon,” she said before walking away. Saying goodbye was hard, but she’d seen Chloe soon enough. This was the best summer ever.

[booksbookandmorebooks]

IT Chapter 2 Movie Review

Hello my lovelies, so after a few months of radio silence I have decided to break the norm, so i’m back today to bring you something a little different. my very first movie review! Although, I say review I tend to not really break movies down to their core parts but instead I just have compiled my thoughts and feelings upon reflection after watching the movie. So if you are looking for an academic review on movies then this is not the place for you. I began focusing way too much on the professionalism of my reviews before to the point I ended up stressing myself out over the content worrying about whether it was representative of my feelings and thoughts and whether I had been able to keep as I said, a professional and precise review and upon my break, I just thought why? I enjoy writing and documenting my feelings and that’s all this should be for me. An out let and a place to talk to people about shared feelings and discuss the differences,So that is exactly what I’m going to do . So from now on, this blog will be a collection of movie, show and book reviews! But enough waffling here we go!

-Spoilers ahead-

Over all, its not a bad movie. it is enjoyable but I just couldn’t help having some pretty big issues with this movie that I just couldn’t get past.

Considering this movie was almost three hours long I felt like SO much could have been cut out and still made sense. Avengers for example, I really enjoyed but it didn’t feel like three hours had past when I left the cinema yet half way into IT2 I swear I could feel every, single, second passing me by as slowly as possible.

The idea and the drive that each character has to face their fears is initially a good idea and I feel like in another film it could of work brilliantly but sadly it should of stayed that, an idea. This plot point seemingly creates this increasingly irritating sense of impatience within the viewer.

Considering that they are reunited to fight IT together they seem to spend an awful lot of time separate and the ties they share seem to stretch very thin. The whole point of them coming back together is their shared fear and trauma of what they experienced as children are supposed to bond them and create this sense of comradre yet as I said, they spend so much time apart which to me wouldn’t make sense with the fact they’ve spent 27 years prior completely separate. Then with this we are supposed to believe this love story comes out of nowhere? Yes, they spent a summer together and bonded but these people have moved on, have new lives and then they spend what a few days together and we are supposed to believe they have found their happy ending…within…two days? Nah. Not feeling it. Sorry – shrug-

Now I love thrillers and I don’t mind jump scares but I draw the line at every other scene being a jump scare which as you guessed it, this was. It got to a point that these jump scares were so common and SO cheap I found myself rolling my eyes after each one.

The more interactions and conversations with Pennywise we see the more I feel the mystery anonymity and the overall eerie-ness to Pennywise was taken away and really, I always felt this was the scariest part about the villain. His enjoyment to just stand there watching your fear increase while salivating and growling, come on!

The CGI effects were just something. Else. Like wow, these were awful. For example, the big statue in the square that comes to life to terrify and torment Richie was shocking but not in the way a viewer enjoys, it was so over the top and out of place I just sat there mouth open. It has become some what of a running gag with my friends (who also enjoy scary films). It just leaves you feeling confused and underwhelmed. Due to these over the top sections (and that is just one of them) the fears become very unrelatable. Which is something they have over looked in this adaptation, one of the scariest parts of these movies are that the fears the characters feel are very human and generic fears, fears we can all share and have most probably experienced during childhood and some carried through to adulthood, you can sympathise to how terrified the characters must be in these situations. The only way I knew it was supposed to be scary was because of the actor’s reactions to said scenes and interactions.

the ending is also just straight up laughable, yes, we say good bye to a dear character just as he reaches his characters development climax but apart from that its awful, just awful. I’m sorry but the fact this powerful demon who has been tormenting a town and murdering children for years is over thrown and defeated by the use of empowering words is just ridiculous. The lack of fear while facing Pennywise is what ultimately becomes his destruction is just a very weak ending in my eyes, the equivalent of it was a dream trope in children’s stories and I cant be the only one who got doctor who regeneration reversal vibes from the Pennywise’ last form! Because wow, that was like a flash back to awful BBC effects teams.

Over all rating 4/10. Really disappointing.